Bring in the season of renewal with The Greek-American Writers Association

$7 includes a drink

9:00PM & 10:30PMKRIS DAVIS QUINTETKris Davis, piano; Mat Maneri, viola; Ingrid Laubrock, saxophone; Eivind Opsvik, bass; Tom Rainey, drums
In preparation to record a new quintet CD, Davis brings this all star line up to cornelia street to perform her compositions.
'Over the last couple of years in New York one method for deciding where to hear jazz on a given night has been to track down the pianist Kris Davis.' --Ben Ratliff, NY times

Matt Pasca: Pasca’s poetry has appeared in The Long Island Quarterly, The Pedestal Magazine, New Mirage Journal, JB Stillwater’s on-line literary journal, and will be featured this spring in Vox Poetica, Generations, and Paumanok II. Pasca's first book, A Thousand Doors (2011, JB Stillwater), was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. A graduate of Cornell University and Stony Brook University, Pasca has taught Creative Writing, Mythology and Literature at Bay Shore High School since 1997. He was named NYS Teacher of Excellence in 2003 and is the advisor of The Writers’ Block, named Most Outstanding High School Literary-Art Magazine for both 2010 and 2011 by the ASPA.

Adeena Karasick (www.adeenakarasick.com) is an internationally acclaimed and award winning poet, media-artist and author of seven books of poetry and poetic theory: Amuse Bouche: Tasty Treats for the Mouth (Talonbooks 2009), The House That Hijack Built (Talonbooks, 2004), The Arugula Fugues (Zasterle Press, 2001), Dyssemia Sleaze (Talonbooks, Spring 2000), Genrecide (Talonbooks, 1996), Mêmewars (Talonbooks, 1994), and The Empress Has No Closure (Talonbooks, 1992), as well as 4 videopoems regularly showcased at International Film Festivals. Her writing has been described as "plural, cascading, exuberant in its cross-fertilization of punning and knowing, theatre and theory" (Charles Bernstein), and "opens up the possibilities of reading" (Vancouver Courier). She is Professor of Global Literature at St. John’s University in New York.

Poet and photographer Michael Dickel co-edited Voices Israel Volume 36 (2010). His work has appeared in small-press literary journals, anthologies, art books, & online—including Sketchbook, Zeek: a Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture, Poetry Midwest, why vandalism?, and Poetica Magazine. The World Behind It, Chaos, his poetry & art book, came out in 2009. Dickel is a member of the Israel Association of Writers in English. He received top awards in the 2008 and 2009 Reuben Rose Poetry Competitions.

Syrian singer songwriter Gaida is one of the most “effusive and charming vocalists in the New York world music scene.” Along with her outstanding ensemble - oudist Zafer Tawil, pianist George Dulin, trumpet and santoor player Amir ElSaffar and bassist Jennifer Vincent. Gaida performs “entrancing” innovative interpretations of Syrian folk songs, originals, and freestyle improvisations over Arabic grooves.

6:00PMNEW YORK QUARTERLYTed Jonathan, host Laurel Blossom; Neil Cain; Eric Weinstein
The great state of South Carolina casts all its poetry votes for Laurel Blossom. We're happy she comes north to see us once in awhile.

Rhian Edwards is a poet and musician, who recently won the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry 2011 and 2012, which makes her Wales's best performance poet. She has delivered over 300 stage, radio and festival performances world-wide. Her first collection, Clueless Dogs is due to be published by Seren in May 2012, while her pamphlet of poems, Parade the Fib (tall-Lighthouse), was awarded the Poetry Book Society Choice for autumn 2008. Rhian’s poems have also appeared in the Times Literary Supplement, Poetry Review, Arete, Stand Magazine, the Spectator, Poetry London, Poetry Wales, the London Magazine, Planet Magazine and Borderlines.

Djelloul Marbrook is the author of two books of poetry, Far from Algiers (2008, Kent State University Press, winner of 2007 Wick Prize and 2010 Internationa Book Award in poetry), and Brushstrokes and glances (2011, Deerbrook Editions) and three novellas: Saraceno (2012, Bliss Plot Press), Artemisia’s Wolf (2011, Prakash Books), and Alice Miller’s Room (1999, OnlineOriginals). Guest Boy, the first volume of his fiction trilogy, Light Piercing Water, is forthcoming in April 2012 by Mira Publishing House (UK). His short fiction has been published in Orbis (UK), Breakfast All Day (UK), Potomac Review (Maryland) and Prima Materia (New York). Recent poems were published by American Poetry Review, Barrow Street, From the Fishouse, Oberon, Northport Journal, Meadowland Review, The Same, Reed, The Ledge, Poemeleon, Poets Against War, Fledgling Rag, Daylight Burglary, Le Zaporogue, Atticus Review, Long Island Quarterly, ReDactions, Istanbul Literary Review, Arabesques Literary and Cultural Review, Damazine, Perpetuum Mobile, Attic, and Chronogram. A retired newspaper editor and Navy veteran, he lives in Manhattan and the mid-Hudson Valley with his wife, Marilyn. His literary and cultural blog is at www.djelloulmarbrook.com

Alyssa Pelish writes and edits in New York. She's a regular contributor to 3 Quarks Daily and PopMatters, has reviewed literature for Rain Taxi and books for Science Magazine, and is Director of Publications at a New York based non-profit. Her current fiction project is part YA novel, part paranormal tale, part environmental disaster, all sympathy, and otherwise known as Uncanny Valley High.

Vocalist JD Walter will be performing with 4 members of the Criss Cross All Star ensemble, “Opus 5”, performing original music from both his and their repertoire, as well as Standard arrangements.

“Walter is reshaping what jazz singing is all about. He is opening up familiar material to the most adventurous kinds of interpretation, while continuing to engage and entertain his audiences…he is an original in an art overpopulated with copycats.” – Don Heckman, LA Times – Live Jazz review from the Jazz Bakery April-2008

Led by Scotsman Ben Bryden, Bright Noise is part of a growing scene characterized by alternative rock influences and odd time signatures. Featuring original music that ranges from euphoric grooves to melancholy atmospheric melodies intertwined with high octane improvisation, tonight sees the launch of the band's self-titled EP. They will be joined by special guests Ben Wendel (Kneebody, Tigran Hamasyan, Snoop Dogg) and Chris Lightcap (Regina Carter, Mark Turner, Paul Motian).

Praised for his ‘well-defined, tightly executed compositions’ (Glasgow Herald), New York saxophonist and composer Ben Bryden is a rising star in improvised music whose work is recognized in Europe and the US. After honing his skills at Manhattan School of Music, as well as venues such as Zinc, The Iridium and Le Poisson Rouge, Ben has appeared with Kenny Wollesen’s ‘Wollesonics’ and ‘Himalayas’ as well as guesting with the Dan Weiss Trio and Les Paul.

"Quite a talent...One of the rising stars of the UK Jazz scene" - BBC Radio Scotland

"After two years of touring the US with Airto & Flora Purim in an (otherwise) all-Brazilian band, Paul was invited by Mutantes co-founder Sergio Dias to move to Brazil, where he lived and worked for four years as a first-call musician, and recorded with Djavan, Chico Buarque, Milton Nascimento, Simone, Alcione and dozens of other stars, and recorded or performed with most of Brazil's greatest instrumentalists. He became so fully assimilated into the Portuguese language and Brazilian culture that he was routinely assumed to be a native.

A finalist in the 2009 National Trumpet Competition, rising star trumpeter John Raymond kickstarts the "Spotlight on New Talent" series at the Cornelia St. Cafe with the official CD Release for his debut album "Strength & Song." Produced by legendary trumpeter/educator Jon Faddis, the album features Raymond's original compositions that draw on jazz, rock, hip-hop and pop influences to produce emotionally engaging music with affecting, memorable melodies. Accompanying Raymond is a cast of New York’s finest rising star musicians, and their world-class interplay on Raymond's original compositions makes for a night of powerful, expressive music.

“A dynamic and soulful musician, both as a trumpet player and a composer. John Raymond uses his knowledge of the jazz tradition to forge a style that honors the masters of our music as well as being creative, unpredictable and compelling. John has a unique voice, and he is definitely saying something that is worth listening to." --Jon Faddis, World-Renown Trumpeter & Educator

Open Loose, an archetypal improvising band will be celebrating the release of their brilliant new CD “Explicit”. The album, recorded in one night at the Sunset Club in Paris, comprises nine new compositions by composer Mark Helias. Recorded in the middle of a two week tour this recording captures the live intensity of new music being explored and turned inside out by master improvisers.
Come here the group live and take home an artifact in the form of their new CD.

Ricardo Gallo’s “Tierra de Nadie” performs original music conceived as a sort of imaginary musical folklore, a “No man’s land” which is the intriguing basis for exploratory improvisations. The compositions picture a landscape devoid of flags, providing space for the contributing musicians. On this occasion featuring Mark Helias on Bass, Satoshi Takeishi on drums, Dan Blake on saxophones, Reut Regev on trombone, and Ricardo Gallo on piano and compositions. Its debut recording titled “The Great Fine Line”, enjoying as well the contribution of Ray Anderson and Pheeroan akLaff was released in November 2010 by Clean Feed Records.

”While everyone is accorded solo space, this is genuine ensemble music, with the arrangements for Gallo’s original compositions emphasizing alert interplay, multi-linear improvisation and rapid shifts in density and tone.”-- Peter Margasak, Downbeat.